


With Power...

by firewolfsg



Category: Merlin (BBC)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Slavery, Bondage, Dubious Consent, Dungeon Sex, Gangbang, M/M, Non Consensual, Power Play, Whipping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2010-03-21
Updated: 2010-03-21
Packaged: 2017-10-08 04:31:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/72717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firewolfsg/pseuds/firewolfsg
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin AU: A long war during Merlin's formative years sparks in him the desire to be a Physician. And to pursue his dream, he undertakes an apprenticeship under Gaius, King Cendred's Court Physician who was formerly of the conquered Kingdom of Camelot. However, when he inevitably meets the King's Royal Hostage, Merlin comes face to face with a destiny that goes beyond his desire to be a Physician…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: The Budding Physician

**Author's Note:**

> Author's note: A response to the kinkme_merlin LJ Community Prompt of: Arthur/Merlin, AU Merlin doesn't come to Camelot. The king of whatever territory Ealdor is in takes over Camelot. The royal family are taken hostage. The king takes a liking to Arthur and takes him to his bed. Arthur doesn't fight because he knows the king will hurt Uther and Morgana if he does. Merlin is the king's manservant and he ends up taking care of Arthur before and after his time with the king. How it all resolves is up to you.

Merlin was thirteen when his home became one of the little villages caught up in the middle of a tussle for power. "Cendred and Uther were at war," the village elders said, then advised their brethren to listen and cooperate with the soldiers should they come to occupy the village.

There had even been a wagon that left the village to King Cendred's capital with many of the men of the village, including Will's dad. And though the men had gone willingly to serve their King, Will still never forgave King Cendred when his father was carried back on his shield some six months later.

This war was also when the young boy met his first Knight. And while the man was commanding and forceful when he ordered the adults about, he was still—kind to them and listened to their grievances if they had any and worked to accommodate them when it was possible. Merlin learnt then about a knight's oath and their creed which gave obedience and loyalty to their King and offered care and protection to his subjects.

In the months and years that the war stretched, their little village was to meet with many more armies headed by the knights of the two kings. And with these honourable men at the helm of their soldiers, Merlin soon learnt that his village had very little to fear or worry. The heraldry hoisted over their village may have changed from a gold dragon on a field of red to a silver falcon against a blue sky many times, but the elders, the women and the children never had to fear from the soldiers who mostly kept to themselves and only visited to see their healer or pay court to some of the of age girls.

Their Elders were in fact quite pleased. Some had lived through wars in the past where the soldiers had wreaked havoc in the villages they occupied. However, back in those days they didn't have a concept of a Brotherhood of Knights with a chivalric code that would encourage all the people to love and respect them.

This idea attracted many daydreams from the children of the village. However, Merlin felt himself more interested in the Elders to whom these Knights and soldiers paid their respect. The village healer was to find himself attentively assisted by Merlin who'd eagerly hunt the wilderness around the village for the herbs he needed. Sometimes he'd even be helped by the Knights and soldiers who'd amicably carry the skinny little boy on their shoulders so that he could reach the higher branches of the trees for the parasitic plants the healer asked for which would help bring down the fever of their injured comrades. Merlin never dared tell them that he really didn't need their assistance when he had his magic to help him harvest the herbs from difficult to reach places. However, Merlin could appreciate the thoughtfulness of the visitors in helping him to support their village healer.

So despite the war, Merlin did not think his village suffered very badly. Though like the rest of the village, he did mourn the loss of life and cringed at the maiming of these brave men who fought at the command of their kings.

Eventually though, the war came to an end. And Ealdor was no longer a village in King Cendred's outlying regions, but near its heart.

While pleased for the war's end, a now sixteen year old Merlin, felt a touch of sadness for the soldiers' departure. Still—the interest in healing which was sparked by the war grew ever greater in Merlin to learn how to care for the sick in their own village. This made Hunith so proud of her son, and she'd tell him often of her brother, once of Camelot but now of King Cendred's household, who was a great Court Physician. And she'd promised him that when he came of age, she'd let him travel to their King's city to apprentice under him.

That time could not come soon enough for the excited young man, whom all in the village could see was destined for a far greater life than could be achieved in their little hamlet. So when Merlin finally reached his eighteenth year, he was off on the first day of Spring towards his destiny…

~end Prologue~


	2. Part 1: The Hostage Prince

One of the most curious sights which greeted the young man when he entered the destined city was the courtyard stocks. Having passed through several other larger villages and smaller cities in his track towards King Cendred's Capital City, Merlin had thought he understood the system of punishment by the sentence of time in the stocks.

However, King Cendred's City must have been very special, or perhaps 'very proper' was the word for it. The children didn't throw rotten market produce at the rather attractive blonde man who stood in the stocks. In bizarre contrast, the young boys and girls appeared quite content to sit around and talk to the man while they showed him toys or various interesting things they'd found or picked up. The man had a nice laugh too as he spoke to them kindly. Not at all like punished men seen in other cities who'd be cursing a blue streak as they were splattered with rotten vegetable and fruit. As he walked past this curious spectacle, Merlin wondered rather belatedly what the man's crime had been. But his attention was quickly pulled back to his quest for his mother's brother in this huge city.

As first impressions went, Gaius had seemed very pleased with him at their meeting. Especially when Merlin had saved him from a near fatal fall by instinctively stopping a pocket of time surrounding the physician and dragging a sofa into position to catch the man before he hit the ground.

"What did you just do? Tell me. I heard no spells. That was—that was amazing! How were you able to do that?"

Merlin had kept his magic secret all his life, but Gaius had such an encouraging expression of delight and interest in his eyes—and he was his mother's brother after all… "I'm—not sure exactly how I did it. I was just—born like this."

And with this confession, Merlin's world suddenly expanded as Gaius brought down old books and tombs and began to share with him the knowledge of ages; of Magic, and the Old Religion. However, from time to time, he'd hear the old man lament of years past; before Merlin was born when his old home, Camelot, was brought through a terrible Purge by a King who in mad grief for a lost wife persecuted and killed all magic users, and destroyed or confiscated all magical tomes to be found; the few books which Gaius had, survived only because he had managed to hide them. With the end of the war between Uther and Cendred though, the books which Camelot's chief archivist, Geoffrey, managed to keep safe were all transferred to King Cendred's library where they were even just as inaccessible.

"Gaius, thank you, really. But I came to learn from *you* to be a *physician*. Not a sorcerer." Merlin told him softly. "I mean—its okay. I suppose I'm—I'm glad that I—that I'm not a monster like I thought I was…"

"Don't ever think that!" Gaius told him firmly, and then sat back at last to look him over before sighing, "Don't misunderstand me, I am glad to have you as my apprentice, especially since you're so excited and eager to *be* a physician. And at the end of the day, I feel it is far safer that you have no wish to embrace power and become a sorcerer—"

"With power comes responsibility, Gaius." Merlin interrupted him respectfully. "During the war, a Knight said that to me once. And while, yes, I guess I should develop these freaky—my powers too and learn how to control them, I think I have more direction in my life if I focus on healing. I'm sure these powers can be a great asset here too."

Gaius smiled at him. "Hunith must have been so proud of you, Merlin. And that Knight was very wise."

"They were good men. They made sure they kept their soldiers in line and our village never suffered very much to be occupied by an army." Merlin told him earnestly. "I've always heard stories from the elders of how bad it could be during a war. But they made a difference."

"Well—yes…" Gaius' eyes turned introspective for a moment. "The Knights' discipline and honour do make a difference, but in some things they have little power to interfere."

Merlin blinked at him curiously. And Gaius' expression went sad as he led him towards the window which looked out into the courtyard. "Did you see the young man in the stocks when you passed the courtyard?"

"Yes? I thought it was rather unusual."Merlin admitted thinking of the handsome blonde stranger. "I've passed through smaller cities where the one in the stocks would usually be pelted with rotten fruit and vegetables."

"Well, it actually is the same here, but not with this particular man." Gaius looked out sadly at the scene of the children who laughed and entertained the young man in the stocks. "He is the King's hostage."

"Wha—?"

Gaius eyed him disapprovingly. "Merlin, you were a boy during the war. And while the Knights were in control enough to protect your fellow villagers, didn't you think there would be consequences?"

"I was hardly oblivious to the ravages of war, Gaius." He protested with some exasperation. "I helped the village healer and we attended to many of the dying, the maimed and the injured. And the village is no longer one of King Cendred's outlying hamlets, so we're receiving a lot more attention and assistance now."

"And what do you know of former-King Uther's forces?"

"Urm…"

"That young man—is Uther's son." Gaius nodded to the golden haired figure bent over in the stocks. "And he has been one of the casualties of that dreadful war. The King is able to command his utmost obedience since Uther has been held in one of the towers."

"Urm—what does the King do with him?" Merlin asked cautiously as he stole a glance at the young man. Merlin could somewhat guess it wouldn't be an answer he would be very pleased with. But from Gaius' expression, Merlin knew the older man didn't want to tell him.

"Gaius, I'm hardly a starry-eyed innocent. I've helped the village healer take care of men fresh from a battlefield. I've handled the dead. I've cleaned and washed terrible wounds and I've—" Merlin swallowed at the memory, "I've even helped to—to amputate limbs that have been too damaged or diseased to save."

Gaius just looked at him for a moment then petted his shoulder companionably. "You will learn in time. Now—since you're here to handle the stairs for me too, perhaps you can do a service for this old man and bring this to our friend out there."

"A cream?" Merlin looked at the small jar with its semi-solid whitish content. "Isn't this used by ladies?"

"Mostly, but today's sun is hot and the King's hostage has quite fair skin; he will need its protection."

"Won't you even tell me his name?"

"Why don't you ask?

"I—when I once lived in Camelot, I had a hand in raising the boy. And here, King Cendred allows me the mercy of tending to him as well…"

"Oh—he had no mother, had he?" Merlin asked softly as he stared at the jar, having remembered Gaius' story of Camelot's Purge.

"No, he hasn't. And Merlin, given his situation he has no friends in this kingdom; it is very hard for him to warm up to anybody. But he is a good man."

Merlin glanced out the window to stare at the children who still sat around the man despite the sun. "I think I can see that."

*~*~*

"Hello?" Merlin held back his gulp when the Blonde man lifted his head to let him see that he had just as attractive a face as he did a body.

"You're new here?"

"How did you guess?" Merlin stared at him in surprise.

"Oh—the country bumpkin, out of town-sey look can be easily spotted at ten paces."

"Hey!" Merlin would have taken insult if it were not for the wide grin the man was giving him with the children's chuckles and chortles. "Well, Gaius sent me—"

"So you're Merlin?"

Merlin's jaw dropped. In this instance, he now understood why Gaius had so much respect for this man. The children obviously loved him and he apparently had a good memory for other people's matters and concerns.

"You certainly don't look like much in real life."

"What? And I can't imagine why Gaius asked me to introduce myself to such a prat!" The children laughed again, which made Merlin forgive him a little. It suddenly occurred to him that the man was just entertaining the kids.

"Well, you have the advantage over me. And I usually like to know who I've got my hands on before I start applying medication." Merlin pouted at him mock-sullenly as he showed off the jar in his hand.

"Oh, bless Gaius. I thought I was beginning to feel my face and hands burn with this blasted sun." He squinted up at the said orb of light.

"Well?"

"Arthur." He waved a hand with a grin.

"Okay then, Arthur. If you know the drill, keep your eyes closed, and we'll see about saving your skin from freckles, right?"

"Whatever you say, Mer-lin."

*~*~*

Given his own little room in Gaius' home, Merlin found himself completely enchanted by the view of the city outside his window. His eyes, though, were unconsciously drawn to the stocks again where Arthur still stood, making him wonder what he had done to make the King punish him so. At the least there seemed to be a guard nearby, so Merlin was glad the man could still have some company since the children had already long been dragged away by their parents.

Arthur's situation puzzled Merlin. He remembered then Gaius' evasiveness in describing his position in court. He was the King's hostage, but just what did that mean? Unfortunately, Merlin was to have his innocence irrevocably shattered when he was awakened in the middle of the night by a very uncomfortable feeling.

Some instinct dragged him out of bed to the window where he looked out to have his eyes gravitate towards Arthur's corner. He noted immediately that the guard wasn't there anymore. Then he saw them, six vague shapes surrounding Arthur. One stood on a crate in front of him, another was positioned directly behind and Merlin's sleep numbed mind didn't immediately register the significance of the thrusting humping movements they were making. But when recognition struck, he was quickly dragging on tunic, pants and boots and rushing out into the courtyard.

"Hey! That's enough of that!" He arrived in time to watch as the two men stepped aside to make way for two others. However, these men made no move to tuck themselves away, but continued to stroke their spent though re-enlivening cocks.

"What is it to you, heh?"

A strong whiff of alcohol drifted over the breeze to him. Merlin immediately knew that these drunken louts must have bribed the guard to leave Arthur unattended for them to play with. "I'm saying that's enough. I don't think rape counts as part of the punishment in the stocks."

"Merlin?" Arthur looked at him in surprise, then glanced around at the crowd of distinctly larger and heavier set men surrounding them. "I can't believe you didn't bring a Knight with you."

"Too late for that now, we'll be gone before you're half way back. Won't we boys?" The drunken laughter sounded unnaturally loud in the stillness of the night.

"And we'll still have time for another turn." The two who had started to approach Arthur when Merlin arrived, turned their attention back to him.

"No, you'll leave him alone, right now!"

"Oh yeah, so who cares what you think?" One of the louts approached with a raised fist.

Merlin's lips lifted in a dangerous smile and his eyes glowed.

*~*~*

"Rabbits?" Arthur asked conversationally while Merlin poked around the discarded clothing to pick out a handkerchief which he promptly magicked clean with a thought.

"Well, I didn't want to add to the rat population if this lot ran away." He offered as he started to wipe Arthur's face gently to clean him of the men's semen.

Looking at the small huddle of bunnies which shivered as they stared up at them fearfully, Arthur chuckled slightly as he looked back up at Merlin. "I don't think they'll run away from the only one who will know to turn them back instead of throwing them into a pot of stew."

"Turn them back? I suppose I could, if I feel like it." Merlin sniffed as he moved to the rear of the stocks and tried to salvage Arthur's ripped trousers.

"Merlin?"

"Yeah?"

"About—I—"

"It's okay." He interrupted Arthur. Now thinking of Gaius' words again, Merlin had a sense that Arthur had faced much more and worse humiliation since he became King Cendred's hostage. And it made him consider again how his village had fared during the war, and how the occupying army hadn't—there had been no occurrences of rape or even outrage in his village—He hissed angrily when he saw the blood trickling down Arthur's legs along with a veritable stream of come.

A familiar sound of clanging armour brought Merlin's eyes up to see a crowd of Knights come running up to them. Taking in the scene immediately, the Knights were quick to round up the suddenly panicking rabbits before they turned to face them.

"Prince Arthur?! Were—did they?"

"What do you think?!" Merlin brandished the come and blood stained handkerchief at them angrily. For the first time ever, Merlin felt disappointed in a Knight. In his village, they had always managed to control their men, but here in their own city? Why—?

"Merlin!"Arthur called to him sharply, and then softened his tone as he looked at the bowed heads before him. "They cannot be everywhere all the time. These—" he pointed a chin at one of the rabbits. "I could feel their eyes on me for a while now. And they'd probably been watching the guards to judge when the Knights' patrol would be furthest away from me. It's not their—"

"Sire, forgive us. But the boy is right. We could have been more vigilant. It is unforgivable that we allowed another—'incident' like this." One of the knights knelt before him sorrowfully.

The whole situation was too bizarre for Merlin to handle this early in the morning. So he just slipped back into 'healer' mode to take care of his patient; which was to clean Arthur up, heal what injuries he could with magic alone and restore his clothing as best as he could. However, as gently and clinically as Merlin could handle this, he wasn't able to help the tremble in his hands as he wiped away the streaks of come and blood which trickled down Arthur's legs from his arse.

He understood what rape meant. Merlin had discussed treatment of its injuries and the counselling which needed to be offered to survivors with the healer in the village. But he had never encountered a victim before.

"Merlin, you will turn them back, right?" Arthur asked him cautiously having sensed his unease, and perhaps correctly guessed his lost innocence.

"Are you sure I have to?" Merlin glared at the rabbits angrily. His eyes glowed again, making the knights who were holding the bunnies watch him quite fearfully.

"Yes, I think you have to. And—come on, really? Rabbits? How can you be heartless with rabbits?" Arthur wheedled with him. "Look at them!"

And yes, Merlin had to stifle a snort, because it did look rather ridiculous; this crowd of fierce armoured knights carrying a bunch of terrified bunnies. One of the Knights even yelped and had to hold the rabbit in his hands away from his body because it started urinating. That was entirely too pathetic.

"Oh, all right. As long as they're punished for…"

"We will certainly see to it, m'lord." One of the knights told him fiercely. "So if you could please—? It is rather—difficult to stay angry with them the way they are."

And that was, unfortunately, too true. With their wide terrified eyes, quivering nose and drooping ears, the rabbits did look rather devastatingly cute and heart meltingly pathetic. Merlin had to admit that it was hard for him to maintain his angry countenance. Then, another rabbit urinated.

"Oh for—" this was entirely too sad.

Merlin waved his hand negligently while his eyes glowed and the six knights who held bunnies suddenly had in their arms now very sober naked men. For what they had done to Arthur, Merlin couldn't master a single thought of sympathy for these louts who were dragged off struggling and crying for mercy by their respective knights. Although…

"Erm—their punishment? It's not going to be something—permanent, is it?" Merlin asked the remaining few knights with them nervously.

"No. But it'll be something they'll not forget in a hurry." One of the Knights' eyes gleamed in promise before he focussed on Merlin again. "Say? Are you from Ealdor, m'lord?"

Merlin looked around him before he realised that the Knight was addressing him. "Oh! You were talking to me. And I'm not a lord. I'm just Merlin."

The Knight smiled at him warmly. "I thought I recognised you. You were the boy with the healer."

Merlin stole a glance at the two swords which rode on the Knight's hips. "Sir Balin? Did I get that right?"

"Aye, you've a good memory lad." The Knight frowned at him, "Though I didn't remember you being magic."

"Oh, er—well?" Merlin raised a hand to scratch his head in embarrassment. "I thought I was just weird then and I kept it secret."

Arthur laughed at him. "I thought there was just—something about you when I first set eyes on you, Merlin. But believe me, you're still weird."

"Hey!" Despite his annoyed tone, Merlin did appreciate how Arthur had easily broken the tension. However, the whole situation brought down a whole avalanche of questions upon Merlin's poor sleep deprived brain.

Noticing this, Balin made a gestured of parting with Arthur, and at the same time offered to escort Merlin back to the Physician's quarters. Seeing how it was dark and he was still new to the city, Merlin gratefully accepted the offer.

"When you're out of this, come by Gaius'?" Merlin offered softly in parting to Arthur. "I want him to check that I've treated you correctly. I—I won't say a word to anyone else."

"I—I will, thank you."

Balin and Merlin left Arthur with the last three Knights, two of whom Merlin saw stride towards the returning guard who had stopped in his tracks upon seeing them. Merlin could well guess that the Knights would take suitable revenge upon the man for his dereliction of duty.

Merlin could only stand to be silent for as long as they remained in view of the stocks. Once they rounded a corner, he turned immediately to the Knight walking with him.

"I am still very much a novice as a healer, but even I know Arthur's response is hardly normal." He stated very bluntly. "This is far from the first time something like this has happened to him."

The knight could not meet his eyes. And he seemed to be struggling with a decision.

"Sir Balin, I am apprenticed to your Court Physician. And I have a sense now that I will be seeing to the comfort and needs of your Prince quite often. Anything you tell me will be kept in strict patient-physician confidence. But for his own good it is best that I *know* the real situation."

"Merlin…" Balin looked up at him uncomfortably. "We—we do appreciate what you've done for Prince Arthur…"

"I would have assisted anyone in the same situation."

"No one else would dare to, Merlin." Balin told him urgently. "For this would attract the King's disfavour."

"What?"

"For your own safety lad, it is probably best if you avoid contact with Prince Arthur."

"But for you Knights, it's okay? Why?"

"With us, the King has our oaths of fealty to be sure of our loyalty. We—under his command, we have—every one of us—done—done terrible things to the Prince…"

Merlin's blood turned to ice at that shameful confession. "And you can—you really cannot do more than secretly protect him from others?"

"When we can catch them… as you helped us to do with those cowards. The King will do nothing, and we cannot act on hearsay." Balin sighed bitterly. "But as it is the Knights' prerogative to punish any wrong doing when we come upon it we are never questioned. Those louts cannot complain."

"Power and responsibility…"

"You—you were the boy I said those words to? And you remembered our talk?" Balin looked stunned at this revelation.

"It is why I am here; to learn from Gaius to be a physician and not just a simple village healer."

"Oh... You must be so disappointed in me now."

Merlin shook his head. "You told me something else that day. That power can also corrupt. And so limits are appreciated and should be welcomed. For absolute power corrupts absolutely."

The Knight stared at him for a long moment before reaching over to playfully tousle his hair. "You grew up well, lad. I can scarcely believe this used to be a tiny scamp of a lad who I used to carry on my shoulders to pick flowers for the healer."

"Hey. They were medicinal herbs and you know it." Merlin ducked away in embarrassment. "And you're avoiding my questions, Sir Balin."

"Tonight, maybe" Balin admitted. "But we will talk again. I promise you, Merlin. I am not the only one involved here. I'll need to clear the grounds with the other Knights first. Then I will tell you everything."

They had reached the door to Gaius' quarters, so Merlin let it go for now. "I'll hold you on this promise, Sir Balin."

The Knight gave him a genuine smile. The first he had this whole night. "I'll count on it, m'lord. But—do keep your head down. If you really wish to help Prince Arthur, it would be advisable not to attract the King's or the Court Sorcerer's attention."

Merlin nodded in understanding. Then he belatedly caught the added warning. "Wait? Court Sorcerer?"

Balin, gave him a look of askance before he remembered Merlin was completely new to the City. "Oh, I assumed since you were magic, you were already aware of the King's Sorcerer, Edwin Muirden. He is as much an enemy of the Prince since he hates Uther Pendragon. I believe Gaius would best tell you about the man."

The Knight didn't seem to want to say anymore, so Merlin bade him 'good night' and returned to his bed. He couldn't go back to sleep though. Instead, Merlin found himself drawn to his window again where he could watch the knights as they kept Arthur company. Even from the distance, he could see the guard quaking in his boots where he stood nearby. It was quite obvious that the Knights had promised dire retribution, but of course, they weren't going to extract it while he was still on duty.

Turning away from the window to stare at his bed for a moment, Merlin knew his head was too filled with questions to let him have any restful sleep without answers. So he made his way back to the main room and started making breakfast, casting a spell around himself to stay as quiet as a mouse so that he wouldn't wake Gaius. However, considering the racket he had made running out of his room earlier without waking the man, Merlin also supposed it would take a natural disaster occurring right in the room to disturb the aged man's sleep.

*~*~*

Gaius emerged from sleep to the delicious smell of fresh bread and a savoury soup on the fire. "Merlin?"

Merlin turned to grin and speak to him, but from Gaius' puzzled expression he was suddenly reminded of the pocket of silence he had surrounded himself with. "Sorry about that." He waved the silence away. "I didn't want to make any noise and disturb you."

"And this is also something you can do without a spell?" Gaius shook his head with a wry smile. "I suppose it'll just have to be something I need to get used to. I've only ever known learned wizards and sorcerers.

"When did you learn to cook?"

Merlin shrugged as he laid a platter of bread and a bowl of soup on the table for Gaius. "I learned about medicinal herbs from the healer, and my mother taught me of the other herbs in the kitchen. Sometimes it seemed useful to me to hide the medicines in the food to make it more palatable. After all, we already 'cook' the medicines in some way when we prepare them. And of course to do that I had to learn what could work and what wouldn't destroy the medicines when combined with food."

"And were there many foods you could use?" Gaius asked curiously as he broke some bread to dip in his soup.

"Soups and liquids seem to be the best medium." Merlin admitted as he accepted the offered bread. "Or at least the villagers responded better to that. They'd rather ask me for something they could put in their soups and stews rather than drink the distilled concoctions neat. It saved us from having to do a lot of brewing too. But it does use a whole lot more herbs and it is a bit more difficult to control the dosage that way."

"Interesting…" Gaius mumbled thoughtfully though with a tone of excitement. "Merlin, m'boy. I can see us working together wonderfully. While I can teach you more about human anatomy and herbs, I think you can teach this old man a bit of innovation."

Merlin blushed into his bowl, and concentrated on eating for a while. This was exactly what he had been looking forward to when he came to Cendred's City to seek an apprenticeship with Gaius. However, there was the incident last night which reminded him that there was going to be more things in his life than books and medicinal knowledge.

"Will you tell me about Edwin Muirden?" Merlin asked Gaius casually as the man was mopping up the last of the soup in his bowl with a piece of bread.

Gaius almost dropped the bowl, "Where did you hear that name?!"

Merlin took in the fearful look in Gaius' eyes and raised his hand to placate the man. "I haven't met him. I was just told to watch out for him."

Gaius raised an eyebrow at him and Merlin could see that he clearly wasn't going to get away with very much at all under this man's tutelage. "Why don't you start from the beginning?"

As Merlin had expected, Gaius' expression was grim as he heard him explain why he had been up so early that morning. "So, this isn't an isolated incident, is it, Gaius?"

Gaius gave him a long look before sighing, "No, unfortunately it is not. Ever since he came into King Cendred's possession, Arthur has led a very perilous life."

Merlin couldn't help bristling a bit with the word 'possession'. "He's essentially Cendred's slave, isn't he."

"As much as Cendred's able to enslave him," Gaius shook his head. "For all the abuse and horror Cendred heaps upon him, Arthur still won't break and this infuriates the King."

This declaration made Merlin gulp as his imagination went a bit wild to wonder what else Arthur could have been subjected to. Last night, he had seemed to just shrug off his gang rape, and Merlin could not imagine it to be a normal healthy response to such a devastating violation.

"Arthur only bows to Cendred because his father is his prisoner, and the whole Kingdom knows this. The man is far from a broken slave." Gaius told Merlin sadly. "But that does not mean the King does not continue to try."

Merlin swallowed hard. Sir Balin had promised to seek clearance from the other Knights to tell him more about Arthur later, so he really didn't want to go into the medical treatments Gaius had to administer to the captive Prince. However, he still didn't see where Edwin Muirden fitted into the situation yet, apart from being an enemy of Camelot's King. Unless…

"Does the King have his Court Sorcerer help him when he punishes Arthur?" Merlin asked in a very small voice as it suddenly occurred to him what horrors a sorcerer might inflict upon a helpless man.

"Muirden…" The distaste in Gaius' utterance of the man's name could not be clearer. "Fortunately, no, Cendred wouldn't let the man so near temptation. Muirden absolutely hates Uther Pendragon, and would kill Arthur in front of his father in the most painful way possible if he were allowed to get his hands on him without fear of consequences. It is only because he seeks favour with the King that Muirden avoids Arthur as much as he is able to. But—"

"Yes?"

"Muirden is responsible for the—toys that Cendred uses to control Arthur and keep him alive." Gaius admits. "You probably wouldn't have noticed them with him in the stocks, but Arthur wears manacles about his wrists and ankles and a ring of steel around his neck. They can only be removed by the King and it keeps Arthur within the City and tethered to the castle, such that he is forced to return when the King calls upon him."

"Otherwise, he's allowed to move about."

"Not really very much, but 'yes' the King grew bored with keeping Arthur at his feet after the first year. For his own safety though, Arthur usually stays in the company of the Knights."

"About them—?" Merlin couldn't help his curiosity, "What's the deal? Doesn't Cendred know they are his friends?"

"Fortunately, no." Gaius looked him in the eye. "And you must promise me you'll help them maintain this illusion. I'm in fact quite surprised they let you into the secret so quickly.

"Merlin, please do not judge them harshly, but—Cendred uses his knights regularly to rape and abuse Arthur."

"What?!" Merlin came to his feet in outrage and anger. "But—"

"Merlin! Listen to me!" Gaius grabbed his arm firmly. "The Knights are under *oath* to obey their King."

Merlin took a deep breath and thought about the easy friendship displayed between the men the previous night. "They—they profess to protect Arthur when they can…"

"And the King believes his Knights only jealously guard their privilege. It was a claim of favour the Knights made early with Arthur's incarceration here."

"To protect him from the depredation of others…" Merlin caught on at last. "But that's—that's still horrible. And the—the illusion they maintain? It is that he is the Knights' whore?"

"Merlin…" Gaius gave him a very sad look. "No one hates this more than the Knights themselves. But that is their only option. And Arthur—he—he tries his best to take care of them too. He gives them his consent before every session that the King demands of them."

"He what?!" Merlin stared at Gaius in stunned incomprehension. This was almost too much for his mind to handle on so little sleep. That of all things, it was Arthur who was concerned for the sensibilities of the Knights that he'd—That thought sparked a memory in Merlin's head of a time during the war, when he and the other children had hounded a receptive Knight to tell them what it meant to be a Knight.

One particular line in the Knight's recitation of his creed surfaced in Merlin's memories now: 'To never do outrage nor murder.' And he remembered how shamefaced the knights were after Merlin had confronted them. Oh, certainly he could see how they could easily turn the tale around with the louts from the previous night to make it appear that they were embarrassed they had needed a stranger to rescue what was theirs. However, Merlin could see that they really were greatly ashamed about their situation with Arthur.

And Arthur—that he would give them his consent… The very idea—the man's generosity and dignity in looking out for men who should have been his enemies… It boggled his mind.

"They do not take Arthur's consent as complete absolution for what they are commanded to do to him, Merlin." Gaius told him softly, "They cannot accept it. But it is all Arthur is able to offer them.

"You will see that I counsel a Knight or two every so often to make sure they don't fall upon their swords in their distress."

"I will support them as well, Gaius." Merlin assured him firmly. The situation the Knights were in… He could now understand the nightmare they were caught in because of their King. Without even meeting the man, Merlin could feel hatred build in his heart for the King who won the war against Camelot. He had to wonder though how different his life might have been if Camelot had won and the lands were under the control of a King who hated magic.

A knock on the door interrupted them from saying more, and Gaius opened his door to find a grinning guard politely asking him to attend to some business in the market place. Out of curiosity, Merlin followed, and like the other citizenry who stood surrounding the bewildered merchant's pig pen, completely doubled over in laughter at the sight which greeted them.

The six drunken louts from the previous night's adventure were lying naked in the muck, on or under the massive pigs and screaming for their indifferent audience to help them out. From the twisted nature of some of their limbs, Merlin could tell that their legs were broken. And really, as a healer, he knew he should show more sympathy. However, even Gaius was hesitant to lend any physical assistance. And Merlin could tell by the hard gleam in his eyes that his teacher did make the connection between Arthur's rapists and the punishment the Knights meted out to them.

"Please! We've—we've broken legs, and we need help."

"Well—if you're going to be amorous with—" Gaius made a disgusted wave at the men's companions, "I'm not surprised you broke a limb or two. But I'm still not stepping into that muck. These old bones couldn't stand it if I slipped and fell.

"But if you'd accept the help of my new and young apprentice…"

Merlin's first instinct was to protest before he caught the twinkle in his mentor's eyes. The six men who had shown a bit of relief to hear that the old Court Physician had a young apprentice to help him, turned as one to look upon Merlin and collectively blanched when they recognised him. Merlin gave the men a very speculative and evil look as he let his eyes drift over the pigs and back at them.

"Oh, certainly, Master Gaius, I could—" Merlin started to wave a hand, only to have the six men scream 'No' and claim that they could get themselves out and take care of their own injuries.

"If you're sure…?" Gaius looked upon them uncertainly.

"We are! We are!"

"Very well, then. If you need me, you know where to find me." Gaius turned away and slung an arm around Merlin's shoulders to lead him off. Merlin couldn't resist letting his eyes glow for just an instant as he gave the shivering men one last glance before he departed with his teacher.

Later that morning, when a guard was helped to and left at Gaius' clinic by his concerned friends; Merlin watched Gaius put on a masterful performance as he clucked over the man's broken arm, hand and fingers before he started asking Merlin how many times he had helped his village healer amputate limbs.

The guard had gone very white as the two men just went on and on as they talked about diseased limbs and the process of amputation and the treatment of stumps, and helping soldiers adjust to losing limbs. By the time Gaius and Merlin were done splinting the guard's broken arm, hand and fingers, the man had fainted. And Merlin had to pay a visit to the guard house to get the man's friends to carry his dead weight back.

"Is he all right? It wasn't very serious, was it?"

"Not at all," Gaius told the guards innocently. "He has to be careful with the limb of course, and keep it immobile as much as he can to allow the bones to knit properly. He should come back to me immediately if he thinks he has any problems. After all we don't want him to lose the arm."

One of the old guards rolled his eyes at the suggestion. "It's not like he made a complete mess of his hand or arm. I've seen enough breaks to know they were clean breaks."

"So what happened, he fainted from the pain?"

"Probably just the nerves," Merlin shrugged just as innocently.

*~*~*

As asked, Arthur did come to see Gaius to have a proper check up after he was released from the stocks later that day. And Merlin saw for himself then, the black manacles with steel rings that reeked of dark magic clamped over Arthur's wrists and ankles, and the equally malevolent steel necklace with its blood red pendant. They kept their talk casual as Arthur lay nude and upon his front on Gaius's examination table. Merlin concentrated on applying a soothing cream to the chafe marks around Arthur's neck from the stocks, while Gaius conducted the more intimate examination.

"Was there any tearing, Merlin?"

"I healed it all right, didn't I?" Merlin asked nervously as he took up one of Arthur's hands to examine the manacle and check the skin under it for chaffing as well.

"Yes, you did." Gaius directed the next question to Arthur. "Do you feel any discomfort?"

Arthur sighed theatrically as he looked over his shoulder, "Only the discomfort of a physician poking around my arse. Gaius, I'm fine really. I'm only here because my *nursemaids* insisted I come."

Merlin stifled a laugh at the outraged snorts he could hear from outside the door at the Prince's raised word. He returned his attention on the manacle to examine it in finer detail. However, when he tried to touch it Merlin had to snatch his hand back as it burnt his fingers.

"Ow! This thing bites."

"It does?" Arthur looked down at it in surprise and touched the manacle Merlin had been handling with his other hand. "I've always thought it felt warm to my touch, but—" His eyes widened a bit to see the blisters which were raised on Merlin's fingers. "They've never done that to anyone who've touched them before. Are you all right?"

Gaius wiped his hands before he approached Merlin to take his hand in his. "It's your magic having a bad reaction to this, isn't it?"

"I—I guess so." With a slight glow of his eyes, Merlin healed the blisters on his fingers. "I never knew I could have this kind of reaction to magical objects before. But then again, I've not handled any magical objects before either."

Gaius tapped on one of Arthur's manacles thoughtfully. "Well, I would imagine that this is warning enough that you should try to avoid Muirden since he was the one who cast the spells that created these."

*~*~*

For the days and weeks that followed, Merlin didn't give the Knights or Arthur much thought. While he did meet with other Knights on his rounds with and for Gaius as the new practicing apprentice physician, he didn't see Arthur again. Cautious queries with the Knights he met, unfortunately, yielded very little too since they apparently weren't ready to trust him just yet.

Still, as Gaius' apprentice, Merlin did have more than enough to do with his studying, patient consultations, the regular medicine delivery rounds, brewing, and his frequent expeditions to gather herbs. He thought little more about the captive prince as time passed very quickly. And before he knew it, Beltane was upon them and the castle was gearing up for a feast.

Merlin had never been in the castle proper before, and he had never seen King Cendred either. But with this important celebration, there was to be a feast which Gaius was required to attend and he could bring Merlin. It was a grand affair which the country boy had never seen in all his life. The great hall, as Gaius had called it, was filled with Knights, noblemen and richly dressed women. At the head table, the dark haired King regally presided upon the entire affair with a hooded man standing nearby in attendance.

Merlin tried his best not to stare at the King and at the man who he guessed was the Court Sorcerer Gaius had warned him to avoid. However, he couldn't help himself from studying this man who could be so casually cruel to his hostage. At first glance, Merlin didn't see anything in this regal dark haired man which would smack of cruelty. While he was not an aged man, Cendred wasn't very young either, but he had a handsome and intelligent face which Merlin thought should have reflected a strong and noble King.

However, even amidst the song and celebration, it seemed the King couldn't resist the opportunity to humiliate Arthur. The prince was displayed seated nearly nude upon a red cushion at his feet. The only modesty the King had allowed his hostage was the tiny white loin cloth that only barely covered his sex. Apart from that, Arthur also wore a long chain which linked his wrist manacles and was looped through the steel ring around his neck. It seemed to Merlin, that everyone in the hall tried not to notice the young man, save for the Knights who solicitously served their King and casually offered food and drink to Arthur as well.

As much as Merlin enjoyed the party, he did not enjoy the spectacle Cendred was trying to make of Arthur. Gaius eventually noticed his discomfort and subtly indicated to Merlin that they could start making their move to leave. However, as they made their approach towards the King to pay their respects before they departed, they were intercepted.

"Gaius, is this your new apprentice?" A silky purr brought the two men swinging around and instinctively on guard against the approaching figure.

"Muirden." Gaius, didn't bother to hide his dislike of the man, "I didn't believe you had any interest in this old Physician's activities."

"Gaius, old man, I'm always interested to meet new magic users who come to our fair city." Muirden removed his hood then to reveal his heavily scarred face.

Merlin couldn't help staring for a moment before he caught himself and looked away. "Forgive me, I—"

"No, no. It's quite all right. I'm used to facing this sort of reaction from those I meet for the first time." Muirden waved off Merlin's apologies magnanimously. "So I hear you are the new sorcerer in the area."

Merlin dismissed the suggestion. "No, really I have no interest in that. My ambition is to be a physician. And I believe I've found the best teacher in Gaius."

"Oh, but haven't you even thought to explore and test your limitations? Perhaps you could be far more?"

"No, really I—"

And like that night when he was awakened from a deep sleep to discover Arthur being gang raped, an uncomfortable feeling grabbed Merlin's attention and brought his eyes towards the King who was about to receive an approaching noble woman. A rather stunning beauty of a woman with long black tresses and pale skin, whose pretty face suddenly twisted into hate as she swung back an arm to throw a dagger at the King; a woman whose scream of rage immediately changed into fear when the King jerked Arthur up from the floor and onto his lap just as she released her hold on the blade.

Merlin instinctively stopped time without a second thought. And before he was truly conscious of his own actions, Merlin had raced past the suddenly immobile men and women in the great hall to launch himself at Arthur and the King to drag both of them out of harm's way. He had never thought to try and measure how long he was able to make time stop. Merlin had never purposefully stopped time before, so he never knew how to deliberately call on this ability. He just knew he could always make it stop long enough. So as he fell to the ground with the two men he just saved, time restarted again and the dagger continued on its path to drive straight through the King's now vacated chair.

"How—?" The would-be-assassin stared from the empty chair to where Cendred, Arthur and Merlin lay sprawled on the floor.

The King reacted first. "Guards! Seize that—" Before he could finish his sentence though, the dark woman disappeared in a swirl of blue flames.

Arthur stared from the chair to where Merlin still lay under him. "You—how?"

"How did you do that boy?!" Muirden came striding up as the three men started climbing back on their feet. "How?! I heard no spell! How did you get—?!"

"Enough, Muirden." Cendred turned to face Merlin directly. "This young man saved my life, and that of Arthur. Who are you?"

"I—" Merlin gulped, suddenly tongue tied to be confronted by the King. A man whose attention he didn't exactly want to attract.

"He is my new apprentice, Sire." Gaius strode up to put a possessive hand on Merlin's shoulder. "My sister's child, Merlin. And he came here to learn how to be a Physician."

"Gaius, you've found a rare treasure and you don't want to share him?" The King raised an eye brow at them. If the expression was from anyone else, Merlin would have called it teasing. However, up close, Merlin found himself on guard again because the King's eyes were anything but teasing as he regarded him.

"He saved my life, Gaius. I would have him rewarded."

"Er—there's really no need, Sire." Merlin coughed uncomfortably, he seriously didn't want to stay under the man's scrutiny. "I am training to be a Physician, Sire. So it's only natural I strive to preserve life."

"Don't be modest, boy. You shall be rewarded."

Merlin gulped. "No, honestly, you don't have to, Your Highness."

"No, absolutely. This merits something quite special."

"Sire, really. I'm already very busy with my studies. And I'm happy continuing with the work I have under your Court Physician."

"You shall be awarded a position in the Royal Household." The King told him determinedly. "It will not be a position which will take a lot of your time and interrupt your studies; it'll be only for a few hours in the mornings and maybe some evenings.

"You shall be the caretaker of my—favourite."

"Sire?" Merlin stared at the King who smiled at him, then let his eyes drift towards Arthur. As Merlin looked at Arthur too, he could read the man giving him a very distinct 'Oh, shit' expression.

'Oh, shit.' Indeed.

*~*~*

Later that evening, Merlin was looking mournfully up at Gaius as they sat on his bed and stared at his new blue and red livery which came with a ridiculous feathery hat that the young physician was determined to 'accidentally' burn at the earliest opportunity.

"I suppose it could be worse." Merlin told the sympathetic man. "I could have been his manservant."

Gaius mock shuddered. "You would live in the stocks permanently if that happened."

"No, instead—well, at least I can better help take care of Arthur like this."

"Merlin—" Gaius heaved out huge sigh as he petted his apprentice on the shoulder, "I know you've had a rather sheltered life until now, but—"

"Gaiiiiiuuuuuussssss." Merlin moaned, as he buried his face in his hands. "I know, okay? I can remember how both the King and Muirden stared at me. They looked like they wanted to eat me up!"

"You did magic without using a spell, Merlin. They're—well…" Gaius didn't know what to say to comfort him. "At the least you can be assured they won't try to hurt or harm you. Neither would dare. With your natural powers, you're entirely unpredictable. And—"

Gaius' eyes gleamed a little in excitement. And while that made Merlin feel a little sour, it also sparked an answering interest in him too. "Yeah, yeah… you 'negotiated' our free and easy access to the King's library so that my studies won't be neglected despite my extra duties, and we'll have a nifty huge suite of rooms near it too.

"It's also a good thing your old friend Geoffrey is running the Library, isn't it? So he'll know how to quickly direct our attention to books he thinks might interest us."

"One takes what advantage one can." Gaius tapped him on the nose. "Merlin, I *am* also worried about Muirden. He lives away from the castle, so it is best that we move into the castle. We will be far safer there where there are guards, knights, maids and servants regularly about, rather than these quarters."

"We'll also be nearer Arthur."

"Yes, we will." Gaius smiled at him, "And you know, my boy, about that strong feeling you had before which led you to saving Arthur those two times?"

"Yes? What is it, Gaius?" Merlin asked him. "Why him? I never met him before I came here. But I feel—I don't know why I feel this about him."

"I don't really know either, Merlin. Perhaps your stars and Arthur's are just intertwined and you were destined to meet and be—friends. Lord knows the boy needs a real friend."

"Yeah—I—I suppose I could be that." Merlin smiled at him.

"Well, you best get to sleep then."Gaius tousled his hair. "We have a long day of packing and moving tomorrow."

"Oh—I think we can get this completed quickly enough." Merlin waggled his eyebrows at him as he waved his hand.

"Well, don't you start without me? I'd like to watch!" Gaius told him eagerly.

~End Part 1~


	3. Part 2: The Broken King

As it went, Gaius showed Merlin a few 'household' spells, which were less tiring to use than his natural magic. So they were easily packed up in a few short hours and trooping towards the castle to meet with the royal steward who showed them to their new rooms near the royal library. The man was a little started about not having to assign porters to help them cart over their belongings. However, since their household goods were happily bobbing along in mid air behind them, the steward decided it was far easier to accept the magical duo at face value and just not say anything.

The maids and servants who had only just finished cleaning out the dusty rooms were certainly impressed with their entrance, though were quickly shooed away while they unpacked. All in all, they were highly pleased with their new accommodations. They each had their own spacious bedroom, and now had spare rooms to segregate for use as a consultation room, a room for brewing and storing their herbs, and even two rooms where a patient might stay overnight.

It did not take very long after they settled in for Geoffrey to visit and drag Gaius away to the library where they could begin nattering over books and the like. Well, 'drag' wasn't exactly the word Merlin would use for the way Gaius actually flew out the door with his old friend. Merlin, however, wasn't left alone very long as a knock on the door brought him face to face with Sir Balin again.

"M'lord."

"Sir Balin," Merlin cringed. "Please? Just 'Merlin'. I'm not anyone's Lord anything."

The man grinned at him sympathetically. "Well, then you should just call me 'Balin'. I Were the maids and the servants a bit much?"

"I mean? I'm just a servant too, aren't I?" Merlin pouted at him as he led the Knight into the now very spacious living room where their poor table seemed completely dwarfed, and poured the Knight a goblet of wine.

"Well—it—that's true, but there are ranks even among servants and—" Balin frowned thoughtfully. "I think you've just been promoted to a position that's just under the Court Sorcerer."

"The Court Sorcerer's a servant?"

Balin gave him a satisfied chuckle. "Yes, he is. Though from the airs he takes you wouldn't know it. But no one would challenge him, no one would dare too. You did quite a bit to steal his thunder last night though."

"Oh. So that's why Gaius thinks we'd be in danger from him, isn't it?" Merlin deflated as he stared morosely at his goblet. "I didn't mean to. I just saw danger, and I reacted."

"Yes, and you saved the lives of our King and the Prince." Balin smiled at him warmly. "You are a good man, Merlin of Ealdor. And the other Knights were suitably impressed enough to finally give me leave to share our secret with you."

Merlin sat up and was about to gesture for the Knight to go on when he suddenly glance over at the door. "Maybe we'd better do this in our new consultation room. If anyone walks in on us…"

Balin grinned even brighter. "Thank you, Merlin. Yes, your caution is appreciated."

Merlin bade the knight lie upon the padded table as he took a seat beside him. "If any one comes in and asks, you felt nauseous this morning and we're trying to pinpoint what you may have eaten which caused the stomach upset when everyone else around you are fine."

"Sounds like a good enough excuse."

"Gaius—he has already told me a little bit about the secret the Knights keep from the King."

"But I wager, it is still not very much… Merlin, perhaps it is best if I start at the beginning."

"Please do."

So Merlin heard then of the King Cendred in his days of glory, how he was a wise, just and kind King, and how he once had three sons, all whom he was proud of as warriors and each a worthy successor to the realm. Unfortunately, this had quickly changed during the years of war between Uther and Cendred, and none of the councillors currently at large could even begin to explain why the war had started between them; only that the negotiations between the two monarchs over the borderline between their nations had grown heated to a point where war had been declared.

It was believed that Cendred lost his heart in the war, because he had over the years lost his sons one by one. At one point, the two Kingdoms could have ended the war and finally come to an agreement. But by then Cendred had already been mad with grief for his losses and refused to accept the offered hand of reconciliation.

During the ending months of the war, in fear for the life of his last heir, Cendred had the boy called back from the front lines and forced his son to stay within the safety of the castle. But fate, it seemed, had already decided upon the boy's death. Within days of his son's incarceration in his castle, the young heir had taken ill and passed away in his sleep. As he had been bleeding from one of his ears, the Court Physician suggested the boy had suffered bleeding in the brain, probably from a blow to the head taken when he was last on the battle field.

With the death of his last son, Cendred had gone mad with grief. For his failure to save his son, the King had his Court Physician put to death. Later, he was approached by a sorcerer who offered to end the war for him. The man called down fire from the heavens to assist Cendred's forces when the two armies next met, and without like assistance from a sorcerer of their own because of Uther's ingrained prejudices, Camelot was forced to surrender or see their armies' burn.

For his aid, Muirden, for that was who the sorcerer was, had asked Cendred for Uther's life. However, on taking charge of Camelot's royals, Cendred had been incensed that Uther still had an heir who lived. And at his first sight of the boy, the King knew that he would never be able to control the young Prince without the father.

So Cendred denied the sorcerer's wishes, and instead offered him a position in the Royal household as the Court Sorcerer. Seeing the King's determination to keep both Pendragons for his own pleasure, the sorcerer had no choice but to accept. And unfortunately for the man, he wasn't to know until a lot later that this title held no power within the King's court. It was something that was created just for him.

"Seriously?" Merlin had to interrupt Balin's tale then. "Cendred got one over Muirden?"

"Aye he did at that." Balin chuckled nastily. "The thing was, he may have won the war for us, but no one trusted him. And there was also gossip that he may have been somehow involved in the last heir's death. There was talk of a scarred man who had asked for an audience with the prince a few days before his health began to fail. But there's no proof that he had a hand in the boy's death. It could have been just coincidence."

"Go on…"

"When we first returned to the castle with our royal hostages, Cendred had Uther taken to the tower to be imprisoned immediately," Balin's expression had turned haunted. "Prince Arthur—he was taken to the King's chambers. And the King—he—he called on us a few hours later."

"Oh." Merlin didn't have to ask for any details to understand that Cendred had probably raped Arthur for the first time then.

"We were—we were horrified by what he had done to the Prince—we—we could scarcely believe that he—that our King would act so dishonourably and—and…" Balin's voice had gone so soft with shame that Merlin had to sit closer to hear him. "It was—he called us in because he wanted us to do worse while he watched.

"Merlin, you cannot know how insulted—how appalled we were that he would make such a demand—we were—we were sickened. We saw then that the death of his sons had changed him—had—had twisted his mind, but—we—we weren't—we could do nothing." Merlin took the Knight's hand in his as he heard the tears in his voice. "He is our King. We gave him our oaths when we became his knights. And so we had to obey his command that we—that we savaged our vanquished enemy's son.

"Prince Arthur—even through his trauma and tears, he—he recognised our reluctance." Balin's voice was filled in wonder now as he recalled that first day. "And he gave us his understanding and generosity then.

"Softly, so the King would not hear him, he forgave us for what we were about to do to him and he gave us his consent so that our honour would stay intact…

"And he has continued to give us this kindness and consideration since then."

Silence fell between them after those words. Merlin had to bring a hand to his eyes to wipe away his tears for the bravery and generosity that Arthur had showed the knights that day and it seemed unrelenting showed them all these years.

"In all this time, we of the brotherhood have carefully spread the word of Prince Arthur's kindness. Where there are Knights, his story is told, and we have ensured that there has been no new blood joining us in this Kingdom." Balin told Merlin firmly. "Where there are Knights, their rulers are counselled and if possible turned away from ever approaching this kingdom to offer allegiance or friendship.

"Cendred is our King, but while he has our loyalty and obedience because of our oath to him. We have lost all respect and love for him."

"What can I do?" Merlin asked softly as he scrubbed the last of the tears from his face.

Balin sat up on the bed to face the young physician. "There is little that can be done, except to try and protect Prince Arthur how ever we are able to get away with it, and to do what we can to make life easier for him."

"I will—I will do my part as well." Merlin took Balin's hands in his as he made this promise.

"I do not doubt that, Merlin." Balin sucked in a deep breath. "Courage—that is what you must show for his sake… Tonight—you had tended to the Prince after those—louts the other night. But tonight, Merlin, Cendred will enact upon the Prince his punishment for the attempted assassination."

"What? But Arthur was in danger too. He wasn't involved—"

"Unfortunately, the Prince is related to that woman, Merlin. She dropped her illusion to let the King see and recognise her before she threw the dagger at him." Balin shook his head sadly, "She was the Lady Morgana, though she has since taken the name Morgause. She was once the ward of Uther, and was said to have been raised like a sister to Prince Arthur.

"When the Pendragons were forced to surrender to Cendred, she was said to have fled Camelot. And she has since made many minor attacks upon this castle with her band of rebels in an effort to either kill the King or free Prince Arthur."

"But Arthur has—" Merlin made a gesture towards a wrist.

"I don't believe these rebels are aware of the magic cast upon the Prince's accessories." Balin hesitated slightly before he continued. "The collar, Merlin, does more than keep the Prince near the King. The red stone pendent on the collar also ensures he will not die from—from the abuse we meet out to him."

"Balin, I'm sure you don't—" Merlin gripped his arm in protest.

"Merlin, don't try to dismiss the damage we do. We ravage him, Merlin. Sometimes the King is content to do this alone, but when he calls upon us, he does not ask for just one or two volunteers. We do this in great numbers." Balin's voice had turned haunted again as he remembered the past. "After that first time, the King had complained to Muirden that the Prince was already half dead before his first day with us was over. The Court Sorcerer gave the collar and manacles to the Prince two days later. The pendant on the collar—it—it keeps him healed, whole and lubricated for—"

Balin had to swallow hard before he could continue. "In the first few months of his stay with us, in an effort to try and break his spirit the King had us abuse Prince Arthur almost night and day. In those months, we all—we were *all* commanded to have him, and it was only after the last of us were done that the King finally allowed him a few days to rest. The pendant kept him alive.

"But it only works for intimate injuries which *we* inflict. We discovered its limitation when the king thought to move on to the Guards' barracks. If he is hurt by others…"

"Like those louts? "Merlin had winced at the word 'barracks' and his eyes went hard as he remembered the tearing he had repaired. Then his thoughts swung towards other scars and injuries he had noticed on Arthur's skin when he had lain on their examination table previously. "Has he been whipped often?"

"Every time Morgause tries and fails to assassinate the King, or to rescue him.

"Gaius would treat him for the injuries the pendant does not handle." Balin looked around them. "In a way, it is good that you have moved to the castle."

"We are now closer should Arthur need us."

"And I fear he will need you desperately, Merlin." Balin admitted. "There seems to be change in the air, but we don't know if it will be for the better, or the worse.

"Brace yourself, Merlin. For tonight will be the first time you will be there to attend to Prince Arthur after the King is done with his punishment."

Merlin swallowed hard. "I'll—I'll be prepared."

*~*~*

With Balin's departure, Merlin had immediately dived for Gaius' spell books, but even as he scanned through them frantically, there was very little he thought would be of any use in the current situation. When Gaius returned, he had helped Merlin to prepare a medicine bag of healing salves and poultices, and the older man had shared with him the treatments he would render to Arthur's skin after a whipping.

All too soon though, dusk approached, and a Knight came to the door of Gaius and Merlin's new abode to fetch him. "Er—we're heading to the dungeons?" Merlin gulped as he followed the Knight, the pouch of poultices and herbs hung heavily against his thigh.

"It—it is where Prince Arthur is always brought to be punished after Morgause has failed to assassinate our King, or rescue him." The Knight told him in a strained voice. "Merlin—"

Merlin nodded to the man. "I know. I will do my best for Arthur."

The man sucked in a deep breath as he looked him in the eye. "This—will—it will be difficult, Merlin. If you are unused to—"

"I'm a physician, Sir Caradoc. I have seen and tended to men through the horrors of war. Though now I fear, I am preparing myself to see too the sad abuse of peace." Merlin steeled himself with these words.

When Merlin entered the dungeon cell behind the Knight, it was to see that the King was already seated on a comfortable chair and attended to by over ten other knights. Across the dungeon cell, a crowd of knights surrounded Arthur though positioned such that they did not block their King's view of him in profile. The man was already stripped nude save for his collar and manacles, and glancing around at the assembly of Knights with them, Merlin suddenly knew that Cendred wasn't only planning a whipping.

Still, Merlin thought that Arthur was being unnaturally calm as the knights with him securely chained his wrists manacles to the post in front of him while others were looping chains through the rings on the manacles around his ankles to two more rings set into the stone floor which stretched his stance quite wide. With the broad spread of his legs, it was difficult not to notice the slight gleam of oil shining from Arthur's cleft; enough indication to the eyes of everyone in the cell that the Knights had clearly oiled, and stretched their prisoner in anticipation of his ordeal to come. It struck Merlin then to wonder just how many times Arthur had been subjected to this.

"Ahh, Merlin. Come, we are about to begin." The King gestured for him to approach. Not knowing what else to do, Merlin quickly strode across the cell to pass behind the King and stand next to his chair where the man indicated he wanted him.

"You probably think me harsh to punish my hostage for the faults of his would be rescuers."

"Sire…" Merlin gulped, he didn't know what the man wanted him to say. He did feel it was unfair, but he wasn't about to voice it out to the King.

"They know, Merlin. That is what holding a hostage is about. The health and well being of the hostage is always dependant on the good behaviour of their subjects." The King told him in a very reasonable tone, "They well know that young Arthur is punished each time they—misbehave. It would be so much easier on him if they did not."

"Of—of course, Sire…"

"Even so, I've always had a healer or a physician on hand to ensure he does not suffer too much." Cendred went on as if Merlin hadn't spoken. "Why, when he and his father first arrived here, I no longer had a Court Physician, so I immediately called for their own Court Physician to move to my City where he could continue to care for their needs."

Merlin stayed very silent. He remembered Balin telling him that the man had killed his own Court Physician because he hadn't been able to save the life of his heir.

"And now you are here." Cendred raised a hand to stroke his knuckles over Merlin's cheek. It took all of Merlin's self control not to flinch or jerk away from the King's touch. He promised Balin that he would be strong for Arthur and he was not going to shirk his duty, no matter how creepy he thought the King was being.

"There is just something about you I can't put my finger on, Merlin." The King told him softly. "I'm glad you are here."

Merlin swallowed with a throat that was suddenly feeling very dry. "Sire…"

Before the King could say anymore, the Knights surrounding Arthur had stepped away to indicate they were finished with securing him hand and foot against the whipping post and to the rings on the ground; one of the other knights reluctantly stepped forward then with the bull whip and looked to his King for the signal to begin.

"It will be thirty tonight, I think." There was a sharp intake of breath all around and the Knight holding the whip almost dropped it at this announcement.

"Sire—do you—do you wish an—an—execution?" One of the Knights gritted.

"No. Still, it will be thirty. The rebels must learn that I will not bow to their threats. But—" Cendred turned towards Merlin lazily. "I'm sure our young apprentice physician can manage to assist Arthur."

"Sire, I—" Merlin's eyes were filled with fear as he stared first at the King then at where Arthur stood leaning tensed and obviously nervous against the post.

"Do it." Cendred commanded of his Knight softly. "Fear not, I believe you needn't worry that you'll lose your whore this night."

The Knight holding the whip swallowed hard before he lifted his chin and gave Merlin a long assessing look. And Merlin gulped as he received the man's firm nod of expectation. Then the knight's arm rose and the whip sang across the silence of the dungeons.

It took too long. Merlin gritted his teeth and he could feel his breath hitching in his chest as he watched the bleeding welts grow and begin to blend with each swing of the Knight's arm. Arthur—Arthur never allowed a single cry to escape his lips. The tears were inevitable, but he refused to let his audience hear his distress. Merlin, however, couldn't keep his sobs silent even when he chewed his own fist to stop himself from screaming at the King to stop the madness. And his eyes weren't the only ones that were wet with tears either.

It was fortunate for the knights that the King's attention was completely on Arthur and his suffering, for they were not able to hold back their distress either. If one was to look closely, it could be discerned that the one wielding the whip seemed to be openly crying as well. However, it could also be a trick of the light since he was sweating with his effort and perhaps his tears could be excused for having his sweat slipping into his eyes. The King never noticed.

It took too long… but eventually, thirty lashes had been delivered, by which time Arthur was hanging quite limp against the whipping post with his life blood bleeding down his lacerated back, buttocks and thighs. Merlin did not wait for the King to invite him to move. As soon as the knight threw the whip aside, he was across the cell and at Arthur's back to assess the damage.

Merlin knew the knight had tried very hard to space out the hits so that they did not fall together; he could not have avoided drawing blood, however, he managed not to use his full strength behind each blow. Even so, up close as Merlin was, the training physician could see that the devastation was still horrendous.

At first glance, Merlin knew that his pouch of herbs were useless. There was also nothing that he had read earlier in Gaius' books which could assist him in caring for this level of damage. The village healer had told Merlin that he had good instincts for this profession, and Merlin knew that it was the only thing he had to work with now; his instinct and his magic.

He could feel the eyes of the Knights upon him as he stood unmoving behind the prince and raised his hand over Arthur's ruined flesh. "gehǽlednes insegel." He focused his magic on these jumbled together spell words while letting his glowing hand pass over a swath of lashes, and he watched the blood and dirt washing away under the path of his hand as torn flesh knitted together to seal and heal in its wake.

"gehǽlednes insegel." He repeated the words again, letting his hand leave a new path of healed flesh and clean skin over Arthur's back.

"Merlin?" Arthur's soft moan allowed him to know that amazingly, the man was still awake and hadn't been driven into unconsciousness by the torture.

"Shhh, you're going to be okay, Arthur." Merlin told him softly before, speaking his spell words once more. "gehǽlednes insegel."

Arthur arched sinuously under his hovering hand with a groan that came from deep within his throat. This made Merlin blink in puzzlement for the man's seemingly strange reaction. And he could hear Cendred sniggering where he sat watching them.

"gehǽlednes insegel." Merlin was using both hands now as he made repeated passes over Arthur's rapidly healing back and started to follow the welts that had curled around his body to his chest and stomach.

It was only with his slight move forward that Merlin suddenly understood what the King was laughing over. Seated in profile to the Prince, Cendred could see Arthur's cock standing fiercely erect and dripping with pre-come. And Merlin realised then what he had unintentionally caused to the Prince. The village healer had warned him about watching out for this healing 'side effect' once; about how for some patients the rapid cessation of pain could trick the senses into believing the body was being delivered unaccountable pleasure. He was apparently doing that now to Arthur.

Horrified, Merlin wanted to stop, but—he stole a glance at the knights who waited in tensed silence. He couldn't leave Arthur still injured when the King commanded for the next part of his punishment to begin. He looked up at Arthur then, the man was panting heavily from arousal as he returned Merlin's regard. He mouthed "I'm sorry" to the man; Arthur just gave him a smile, called him 'Idiot' and bade him to finish.

"gehǽlednes insegel." Merlin worked a little faster now over Arthur's front, buttocks and thighs; hoping that he wouldn't embarrass the prince by making him come before he was finished.

"gehǽlednes insegel."

Tiny groans and mewls of want and need escaped Arthur's lips with each pass of Merlin's hand. Where the man had earlier refused to make a sound despite the pain, he apparently could not show the same indifference to pleasure.

In hope of covering for him, Merlin spoke louder. "gehǽlednes insegel! gehǽlednes insegel!" Even so, seated where he was, the King could not have missed the Prince's humiliation.

"gehǽlednes insegel!"

In the end, it was a close thing. Arthur's legs were practically shaking by the time the last welt was sealed and his flesh healed and whole once more. And from his shivery breathing, Merlin could guess that Arthur was so close a slight touch was probably all that was needed to make him come. He looked so aroused and hard, it gave Merlin the idea that it was only the man's iron resolve which prevented him from trying to spread his legs wider and thrust his buttocks out towards their audience to entice someone to give him relief.

Even so, such blatant invitation clearly wasn't needed. The entire process was apparently equally arousing to watch since Cendred was suddenly there behind Arthur and pushing Merlin aside while he fumbled with the laces of his breeches. The King grabbed Arthur's hips and stabbed his cock into him without any offer of warning or further preparation, but even this painful violation was enough to tip Arthur over the edge into howling orgasm.

Cendred mercilessly milked Arthur of the pleasure Merlin had unintentionally built within the Prince's body with his healing spells. Merlin could only sit where he had fallen and stare in aghast and horror as Arthur sprayed his pleasure upon the whipping post; with his release finally tapering off to erupt in short spurts with the rhythm of the King's brutal thrusts.

Before too long, the young physician had to look away; unable to continue watching Cendred frantically fucking Arthur to his own completion. Merlin hadn't even realised he was sobbing again, until Cendred's hand fell on his shoulder. He looked up to find the King already resettled into his clothes with his breeches securely fastened once more.

Cendred pulled Merlin to his feet while his other hand brushed at the tears on his cheeks. "You are so soft hearted, Merlin." The King told him gently as he guided him back to the audience stand. "There is nothing to be sad about. Surely you must understand that you've only given great pleasure to myself and Arthur? You've performed beyond all expectations, Merlin. Well done."

Before Merlin knew what the King intended, he was suddenly pulled upon the older man's lap as Cendred sat back in his chair and turned them both to face Arthur's position again. The prince leaned heavily against the post, chest heaving. The whipping post before him was wet with his splattered seed, and the King's own pleasure dripped down his thighs from his arse.

As much as Merlin tried to tell himself he did not find this image arousing, he could not lie to himself. The Prince's lightly tanned skin was covered in sweat from his exertions and it caught the light of the torches just right to make him seemingly haloed in gold. His nudity in contrast to the black manacles and the gleaming chains; his spent and dripping cock; the trickle of come leaking down the inside of his thighs; his vulnerably spread legs which contributed to the slight parting of the cleft between his buttocks that now glistened with the King's seed… It all added up to a sinful spectacle which seemed to invite its audience to use, indulge and seek pleasure in this succulent treasure. It made Merlin hate himself for this thought.

"We have twenty-four tonight, Arthur. Enjoy." Cendred waved the knights into motion with one hand even as the other had a forceful grip on Merlin's hip keeping him seated on his lap.

Merlin chewed on his lower lip in trepidation as he watched the first of the dark dressed knights' stride up to Arthur to catch his head in his hands to make him face him, then kiss him almost forcefully before positioning himself behind the prince with his rigid cock sliding into his cleft. Arthur didn't hesitate at all as he leaned his head to one side allowing the knight to ravish his neck as the man started to push his cock into him.

"Do you see, Merlin? How right it is? How he enjoys this." Cendred's arms had anchored themselves more firmly around Merlin's waist as the King rested his chin on the young physician's shoulder. "I have watched him through these years, and I've never seen Arthur reject any of my knights. Can it be any more obvious how they have made him their cock whore, Merlin?"

Merlin swallowed hard. He had spoken to Balin, and he understood now how the Knights could have kept their secret from their King for so long. The man believed—he could never have suspected Arthur's capitulation to his abuse to be anything other than want of pleasure, which was probably just as well for their sakes.

"I would give him pleasure, if he would but ask, Merlin. I've commanded my knights to never touch his sex. And yet he still prefers their company to mine." Merlin swallowed hard as he watched the Knight run possessive hands over Arthur's body, letting his fingers pinch and tweak at the Prince's nipples while his hips moved steadily in hard forceful thrusts, driving his cock into the vulnerably spread arse; all the while, the man mouthed and sucked on Arthur's neck and shoulders, or twisted his head around to plunder his lips. And as the king rightly observed, despite the bondage and restraints Arthur's entire body language was of invitation and welcome.

"He is never this open with me." Merlin had to wonder if the king realised he was showing bitter jealousy of his Knights. "They have truly enslaved him to their cock; and only *their* cock.

"I once had him brought to the guards' barracks to let them sample my little treasure; they apparently could not win the same favour. His struggles and tears were quite exquisite and it was truly satisfying in a different way. But we could only have him stay for less than a day as that was also when we realised the enchantment on the pendent would only work for my Knights.

"Muirden was most apologetic. He claimed the charms could not be all powerful. It seemed he tied this particular spell to a knight's oath to his Brotherhood.

"My knights were furious about the damage to their whore and the lost of exclusivity. They argued that they were already so numerous, each of them could have precious little time with him already without my inviting more to share him. And I could see the truth in the statement, that there really are so many of them, Merlin. It took months for me to have him properly 'introduced' to each and every one of my knights when he first arrived. And apparently, he impressed all of them with his eager service of their lusts.

"So to keep my knights happy I allowed it, and don't question their demands for his company when I have no use of him. See how generous I can be, Merlin?

"You—said this was a punishment?" Merlin couldn't help asking.

"Ahh, so you think you see a contradiction? If I believe that Arthur enjoys sex with my Knights, why do I appear now to reward him?"

"Er..."

"Because, dear boy, as much as he loves their cock, this is also agony and ecstasy for him; I command my Knights never to touch his cock during these sessions and so they can keep him hard and dripping for hours while scores of them use him for their pleasure." Cendred breathed into Merlin's suddenly very sensitive ears. "And even after he has finally had his pleasure and is too spent to be aroused any longer, they are too numerous to be even half done with him yet. So his agony begins then, when he becomes just a pure come receptacle for their pleasure.

"He was raised a Prince, Merlin. Even after more than two years as my hostage, his carriage is still unchanged." Cendred's hand was stroking Merlin's thigh now as he turned his eyes back to watching while the Knight started slapping and slamming his hips against Arthur's buttocks at an almost frantic pace, a good indication that he was near ready to orgasm.

"My Knights may have made him their whore, but they value their privacy with their fuck toy and so hide him away in their barracks whenever they can. And I'm sure they try to make it up to him for these long sessions of abuse by seeing to his pleasure in private.

"However, when he is deserving of punishment, I can ask my Knights to entertain me as well and have him humiliated and fucked before an audience of my choosing. That is his punishment, Merlin; an audience to his shame of being a whore to all the knights in my not so modest Kingdom."

Merlin found himself swallowing hard as the knight slammed in a last time, practically lifting Arthur onto the balls of his feet for a few long moments. Then the man slowly lowered the prince to his feet again, and pumped into him for a few more leisurely strokes before reluctantly drawing his limp cock out and allowing another man to take his place. This new knight also presumptuously claimed Arthur's lips before lowering his head to make his own mark upon the vulnerably exposed neck as he sank his eager cock into Arthur's dripping arse.

This went on for hours as knight after knight took their turn with little variation. One and all first greeted Arthur with a fierce kiss before they'd thrust into his come flooded channel while mauling and sucking on the skin of his neck and shoulders. And they'd fuck him hard and fast, each obviously racing for their pleasure; the King may have thought his knights were interested only to seek their orgasm, but after speaking with Gaius and Balin Merlin thought different. He was sure the Knight's were only trying not to prolong the fucking, perhaps even to hasten the end of the evening for Arthur.

And though the King had commanded them not to touch Arthur's cock, the knights still tried to surreptitiously give him pleasure in other ways. They'd set warm mouths and nibbling teeth to his vulnerable neck. Long inquisitive tongues would lick around and explore his ears. Hard sword callused hands would stroke over his chest and thighs, while teasing fingers pulled and pinched on his hardened nipples. Then too was the way they'd fuck Arthur, adding strategic twists of their hips and wrenching their pelvis about to 'stir' their cocks within his tight channel. Added together, their skilled fucking brought Arthur off thrice more, and he'd release his pleasure upon the whipping post.

Still, there were twenty-four knights taking turns, and it was rather obvious to Merlin that the King wasn't going to let it go at just one turn a piece. On top of that, these were all powerful men with strength and stamina. By the time, the last knight had his turn Merlin knew the first would have recovered to be ready to begin again. However, Merlin also had a sense that the King would by then bid his Knights to change Arthur's position.

And all the while he watched this sordid spectacle, Merlin didn't dare struggle nor squirm on his perch upon the King's lap. He was also much too conscious of Cendred's cock resting hard and hot under one thigh, while the King had a hand intimately curled around and resting inside his other thigh and dangerously close to his groin.

Deep in dungeons which did not ever see either moon or sun, Merlin couldn't even begin to tell what time it was anymore. He just knew he didn't want to watch this sordid display any longer. The King may think he was observing eagerness and lust in the spectacle taking place before him, but Merlin knew better. Even his magic could see the eddying energy currents of misery and pain, though ironically this radiated more from the knights than it did Arthur. And Merlin could also see the unexpected kindness the glowing red pendant bestowed upon Arthur as it kept him from complete exhaustion and damage. It gave him the energy to reassure the knights as they fucked him as he'd often enough lean his head back with an expression of clear pleasure to brush his lips against his abuser's cheek or chin.

The King saw Arthur's behaviour as sluttish capitulation to his Knights. Merlin could see it as the kind consent that the Knights appreciated receiving from their Prince.

Merlin desperately did not want to witness this. For as much as the pendant kept Arthur going, he was still fading into an exhausted stupor as the fucking just wore on and on. And when the twenty-fourth man was finally done, as Merlin had guessed the King wasn't ready to let them stop.

The knights freed Arthur from the post and chains and led him to kneel on trembling hands and knees before Cendred. It was only then that the King finally allowed Merlin to escape from his lap, and he quickly scurried off to stand behind Cendred's chair.

"Dear Arthur, are you enjoying yourself, my sweet pet?" Cendred purred as he combed his fingers through Arthur's sweaty blonde locks.

Arthur barely had the strength to lift his head to look at his chief tormenter. Cendred only smiled. "Perhaps I can offer you a drink."

Merlin bit his lips as he recognised Cendred's meaning before the King even reached for the laces of his breeches. There was just a bare spark of recognition in Arthur's dull eyes as he tried to pull away from Cendred's dripping cock. But the king wouldn't let him escape.

Merlin couldn't watch as Cendred held Arthur's head tight while he drove his cock in and out of the man's mouth. Merlin kept himself turned determinedly away even as he heard the King invite his knights to further ensure Arthur drank all they had to offer and to fill his arse once more as well. And he knew from the sounds which soon followed that the Knights were now taking Arthur in pairs.

He wanted to leave the dungeons. He wanted to hide in his brand new room and pretend he had just arrived, and never met Arthur nor heard of him in all his life. He wanted to use his magic to stop this. He couldn't do any of these things. Arthur—he couldn't leave. Arthur's care was his responsibility now and magic pendent or not, Merlin didn't believe the man would not in some way suffer physically after the amount of abuse heaped upon him.

"Merlin?"

"M'Lord?!" He swung around in alarm to have the word whispered in his ear.

The King was standing very close behind him. Close enough that he could easily grip Merlin's arms firmly and hold him such that their faces were just centimetres apart. "I missed you, my boy. Are you unwell, you've retreated quite far from the fun?"

Merlin shuddered as he looked down as an excuse to keep his face and lips turned away from the man. "Please, m'lord. I—I do not enjoy watching this."

"But why not?" Before Merlin could put up any greater resistance, Cendred had him turned around and facing the 'stage' again. The King's arms were around Merlin's waist once more, with his chin resting on the young Physician's shoulder.

Arthur looked barely conscious; held up on trembling knees by the knight energetically fucking his come flooded arse, his head held tight by the knight firmly gliding a cock in and out of his mouth; his hands taken up by two more knights who had wrapped his limp fingers around their cocks to jerk them off.

"He is a beautiful man, Merlin." Cendred whispered in his ear. "How can you not be aroused by his pleasured use?"

Merlin gulped. Almost biting his tongue off to stop himself from telling the King off about how he saw rape as a clear deterrent to arousal.

"Muirden's gift keeps the sweet rose of his arse tight despite the years and the number of men he has had. On those nights when I have him share my bed, it is like taking his virginity again. I fit so snug and perfect within him. It matters not if he has already had a horde fuck him stupid hours earlier. The pendant only needs an hour to restore his worn out body. And for my knights, it provides a passage oiled and slick for their ease of use.

"I may not have the same privilege, but it is, Merlin, a guilty perversity of mine to fuck Arthur when he's already well lubricated by the come of the many that had him earlier.

"Truly Merlin, you have not gazed upon delight if you have not seen Arthur on a platform with his legs spread so wide it presents his moist pucker for the world to pillage and plunder. Its mere sight whispers promises to your eyes of the erotic satisfaction one would receive from its warm succulent depths.

"And his lips… Full luscious petals, so especially pretty when wrapped around your cock; so pleasurable to feel it's wet sucking warmth; and we enjoy a secondary relish too to watch them pursed around another man's meat."

"Sire?" Merlin couldn't help the squeak in his voice as he desperately tried to look anywhere but at Arthur now.

Then at last, Cendred showed him a shadow of kindness and understanding. "Merlin? Are you—innocent?"

He didn't have to say anything. His bright red blush was enough of an announcement. For a long moment, the King looked upon him in clear disbelief. "So, you are a rare treasure indeed, aren't you, my boy?"

Merlin didn't know what to say to that statement. He really didn't think it was any of the king's business.

The King released him. "Go."

"Sire?"

"Do you want to stay?"

"No, but—?" His eyes flickered towards Arthur and back to the King again.

"They will be a while yet. I will send for you when we are done."

"Sire…" With a last glance at the Knights standing around Arthur, rather than the man himself, Merlin quickly ran for it.

*~*~*

Gaius had stayed up to wait for Merlin when he burst into their quarters and gratefully barrowed into the older man's offered embrace. There was no need to say anything. Gaius just held Merlin tight while he trembled and quaked in his arms.

"I'm sorry I did not better prepare you, my boy." Gaius told him softly as his tears soaked the man's shoulder.

"Why?" He asked shakily after an almost eternity of gasping sobs.

"Because he can," Gaius sighed softly, "Because he enjoys tormenting Arthur with an audience since he cannot shame him with his Knights alone. Because Cendred—thinks it is acceptable entertainment. And he isn't alone among the nobles who think this.

"King Bayard of Mercia visits often to indulge when he can."

"What?!" Merlin pushed himself off Gaius' shoulder to stare at him in outrage. "The king—he's—he has brought in others before who have enjoyed this?" It was more a statement than a question.

"Arthur just needs an hour for the pendant to heal his body after the Knights have done their--duty as their King commands, Merlin. Cendred and his guests—they would take him together after the—entertainment." Gaius' eyes were sad as he met Merlin's eyes, "And I—now we have the task of taking care of Arthur after these trysts."

"It's so wrong, Gaius. It has to stop! Someone—someone— It just has to stop!"

"And who would stand up to the King, Merlin?" Gaius asked him firmly. "Knowing what you do now, would you have saved just Arthur from Morgause's dagger? You have power in your hands—would you strike the King dead with this power."

Merlin scrunched his eyes closed at the thought. He was a healer—a physician, he did not deliberately take life. He would not. He just—he could not. His code—before Gaius would let him begin his apprenticeship, the older man had shared with him a passage passed down to him through the lines of doctors and physicians of the royal court. An oath created by a man called Hippocrates centuries earlier. Two lines, in particular, stood out to him now.

"I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.

"I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan."

Merlin had accepted his creed and oath as seriously as a Knight followed his. Whatever he felt about the situation, like the knights, he had to believe in a higher purpose. He would not kill, nor in deliberate inaction cause another to be killed when he could prevent it.

"No, Gaius. I would have still saved them both."

Gaius smiled warmly at him. "There is a God, Merlin. That is the one faith which keeps me going some times. That retribution will eventually catch up with the evils I have seen done. Perhaps you are even here because the hand of fate has decided to reward Arthur for his stoic suffering and generosity by giving him a friend.

"You have, after all, already saved him twice in as many months."

"I wish I could do more, Gaius." Merlin told him softly.

"I have made this wish many times myself, Merlin. And I'm sure the Knights of this sorry kingdom have said this as many times."

"It's not fair."

"No—no it isn't."

Gaius pulled Merlin in his arms again and rocked him gently. And they stayed in this comforting embrace until a Knight came for Merlin several hours later to bring him back to the dungeons.

"Are you all right?" Caradoc asked him gently as they walked into the bowels of the castle once more. "You did well to stay as long as you did, despite what you felt."

Merlin's bloodshot eyes looked up at the Knight's kindly expression. "We owe you an apology too, Merlin. If we had known the King was trying to—we hadn't realised—we would have warned you if—if we knew he would try to seduce you too."

Merlin's cringe told the Knight that this was one bit he hadn't shared with Gaius. "Merlin…"

"It's not important right now, and the King did back off." Merlin told the Knight firmly. "Focus on Arthur. Tell me—how is he? What happened after—after—?"

Caradoc wasn't happy about the change of subject, but he allowed it out of greater concern for their Prince. "The King—he usually tops off the night by having a turn or two as well when we—when we can't get it up anymore. Tonight…"

"What is it?" Merlin pushed aside his own jittery concerns to look out a passing window to note the appearance of first light. "Does it always take this long?"

"He—usually the numbers he first settles on are sufficient." Caradoc tells him miserably. "It was already large last night but—we should have been finished not more than a couple of hours after you'd left, really. The King—he called in more knights without letting the pendant take its hour…"

Merlin shivered. "How many?"

"As—as many." Caradoc's voice is a near whisper as they start their track into the dungeons. "We've never seen him so still, Merlin. The pendent—perhaps we've—perhaps it was too much for it to—to—"

Merlin had heard enough. The young physician broke into a run for the cell he'd been led to the previous night.

"Arthur?!" He burst into the cell to find a crowd of Knights kneeling around the seemingly broken figure and trying to gently wipe him clean of the trails of crusted fluid that practically drenched him.

With a low growl, Merlin's eyes glowed and the viscous muck instantly sloughed off even as Arthur's limp body was levitated. "Let me take care of him."

"Merlin…"

"Rest, sir Knights." He remembered to speak to the distressed men kindly as he conjured a soft bed sheet out of mid air to gently wrap around Arthur's nude body. "It is my duty to care for the Prince as well now.

"You may visit later in the afternoon. My master and I have a convalescence room he may rest in."

None of the knights would move though, hovering nearby while Merlin checked over his patient. "He is just exhausted. Go. I will care for him now."

"Thank you, m'lord." one of the Knights told him solemnly.

"It's Merlin." He told him automatically as he guided his floating patient out of the dungeons. "I am no lord anything."

"Of course, m'lord."

Caradoc, however, trailed after them attentively. Merlin hadn't the heart to shoo him away, so he decided to 'fish' for a little more information. "Does Arthur have rooms? He'll need clothes when he wakes up."

"The Prince—" Caradoc flushed in embarrassment. "He has no quarters, and what he wears was given to him by the Knights.

"When he's not in the King's chambers, he stays in our barracks where—where— At night, Merlin, the King has on occasion paid us surprise visits. So to perpetuate the illusion of his position among us, he stays nude then and we draw lots to have him share our bed."

If Merlin thought he was numbed to the growing list of humiliations inflicted upon Arthur, this took the cake. "But he must then do more than sleep with that 'lucky' knight."

"It is—true that not a night passes where the Prince does not have sex, but we spare him penetration then, Merlin." Caradoc told him firmly. "We *never* violate him when we don't have to; when the King isn't there to order us to."

Merlin let out a long breath he hadn't even realised he'd been holding. "I'm sorry—"

"Don't apologise, Merlin. We understand. This is—it is not a situation any of us would choose…" Caradoc sighed as he strode on Arthur's other side and stroked a gentle hand through his hair. "One of us will come with some clothes for the Prince later."

They said little else after that. Caradoc took his leave after they settled Arthur in the comfortable single bed. Gaius came in to help Merlin give Arthur a thorough once over, then they covered him up in blankets. Gaius left for his bed, but Merlin found himself reluctant to leave Arthur alone.

After what Caradoc had shared with him, it had struck the young physician then that Arthur probably had not slept alone in a bed since he was brought to the castle. If he were not in the stocks or the dungeons at night, he was in the King's bed or in the bed of one of the Knights. And Merlin felt sure that he shouldn't leave Arthur to wake alone in a strange bed. So he pulled a chair near the bed and settled himself in for a nap.

It wasn't the most comfortable of positions, so Merlin didn't really think he could possibly fall asleep. But he did. So soundly, in fact, that he was to awaken hours later lying in the same bed he had laid Arthur in with his patient missing.

A note on the table told Merlin that Arthur had woken up and put Merlin to bed. Gaius wrote that the man thankfully showed little ill effects from the previous night, and so had gone off with the Knights who had come to visit. They had let him sleep since he looked like he needed it.

Gaius' note also told Merlin that he'd be on his rounds till evening. And that if he was up to it, Merlin could reorganize their herb stock and go out to forage for herbs that he thought they were low on.

Reorganising their stock was a simple task when Merlin had a little cantrip he had made up back in his village. And suddenly feeling claustrophobic despite their large quarters, Merlin quite eagerly grabbed his herb gathering basket and left the city.

Well into his advanced years, Gaius was no longer fond of the task of gathering herbs so Merlin was glad to completely take over the job. Merlin enjoyed the tranquillity of the forest. He had fun climbing trees and digging in the dirt after herbs. When he was younger, it was like sanctioned permission to go out into the woods and get as dirty as he wanted without the worry of being yelled at by his mother.

Brewing, however, was an arduous task he still did not appreciate just yet, but he was getting there. He had watched the care Gaius put into this work and it impressed him. Watching Gaius, Merlin could see how much the man found the process almost meditative. Eventually, Merlin knew he would need to take up a serious interest in this task since it was the main mode of delivery for the medicines they prepared for their patients.

Today though, Merlin was just out in the woods for a relaxing walk where he'd just pick up what he could see along the way. It was perhaps sometime around midday when he realised he had a feeling of being followed. Recalling the sorceress who had attempted to assassinate the King the previous night, Merlin would be the first to admit that he was being a little paranoid, but—better safe than sorry. And he was also curious about the true effect of a little spell which had caught his eye earlier.

He closed his eyes, and breathed out the spell word. "Lígetræsc."

On this bright sunny day, a huge bolt of lightning with an accompanying thunder crack boomed through the forest. With it, Merlin heard a squeal of fright and the thudding sounds of a body falling from one of the trees nearby to land in the bushes.

"Ow! Why did you have to do that for?!"

Merlin had turned in the direction of the voice and opened his eyes to look upon a rather attractive dusky skinned woman dressed in sturdy leather jerkin, pants and boots, with a short sword in her belt sitting on the ground with a long bow and a quiver full of arrows lying near her feet. She was rubbing her eyes, obviously trying to clear the stars from them cause by the sudden flash of light.

"Hey, you can't fault a man for being cautious?" Merlin tapped her arm to give her a hand up. "You might have just introduced yourself and asked to walk with me if you're curious about what I'm doing?"

"Really?" She accepted the hand up. "Of course I don't mean that I'm questioning your sincerity. But you're awfully trusting if you think it's all right to just walk up to a stranger and ask if you can give them some company; Not that it's bad to be trusting; but I'm just saying it's not good either; I mean—"

Merlin laughed as he passed a hand over her eyes to clear the lingering pain and restore her vision. She blinked at him in pure surprise. "Well, my mother always told me a stranger's just a friend you don't know yet. I'm Merlin."

"Oh, I—eh, I'm Gwen."

"So why are you following me, Gwen?" Merlin asked as he turned away and continued on his leisurely track, while stopping every now and then to check on some plants and harvest the herbs when he'd find them.

"What makes you think I'm following you? I could just be taking a stroll out in the woods myself, or maybe I'm hunting." She gestured with the bow and quiver. "Not that I'm hunting you, of course. I thought you should know that, just in case that's what you think—"

He grinned at her before letting out a huge sigh. "Look, let's just get right down to it. Did Lady Morgana send you to watch me?"

"M—mo—morgana?"

"Or Morgause, I heard that's what she's calling herself now." Merlin nodded at the dismay her face showed. "Did she send you to search me out to check on what her stunt caused in its wake? Well?! Did she?!"

"Erm—"

"Does she even know what the King does to Arthur each time she makes a try on his life and fails?!" It was unfair, but Merlin couldn't rein in his anger. After what he had witnessed the previous night—after the aftermath—cleaning and caring for the sodden wreck which had been made of Arthur. He needed to yell at someone and this poor woman was an easy target. "*He* pays for *her* *failure*! The King entertains himself with Arthur's suffering!

"Arthur had to take *thirty* lashes last night. Thirty! And the King expected me to heal him. I did. I managed it, but what if I hadn't been able to? That wasn't his only punishment. He—"

The woman's frightened expression brought Merlin back to himself then. And he drew back sheepishly; ashamed of what he had done. He remembered then Gaius' words of caution to him what seemed like an eternity ago, when he had still been innocent. That as a natural born sorcerer he had the potential to be very powerful, but also uncontrollable since magic was a part of him. And his magic had always responded well to his emotions. That made him dangerous. Even now there was a swirl of dark clouds overhead where there had earlier been clear blue sky.

"Listen—I'm—" He had started then he saw a flicker in her eyes which made him turn around in time to see a rather familiar looking dark haired woman release an arrow at him, while beside her another woman with dark hair and clad in a red dress had a shimmering hand raised at him.

Merlin's eyes blazed and time ground to a halt before the arrow covered half the distance between them. This time, Merlin realised he had consciously willed it and he briefly wondered why it had taken him so long to realise how he managed this. However, he had more pressing concerns at the moment.

Glancing at the leather clad woman standing behind him, Merlin realised that if he stepped out of the arrow's path it was an almost certainty that Gwen would be hit instead. And at the current trajectory, she would probably die. So he didn't do that. Instead, he reached with his magic to turn the arrow around and at the woman with the shimmering hand.

Before he restarted time though, Merlin took a good look around and spotted a boy hiding a ways from the trail. He decided that it just wasn't going to do at all. So he took several steps to one side where he could observe all three women and pulled the hiding boy out in front of him.

He re-started time and several things happened. Gwen had yelled in alarm. The woman in the red dress screamed as her hand was pierced by the arrow Merlin had turned around which also disrupted her spell; Morgause dropped her long bow to clutch at her companion's injured hand; and the boy had startled under Merlin's hand.

"Ladies, I really am in a foul mood today. So could we just talk?"

~End Part 2~

~tbc~


End file.
